The Lazy Girl’s Guide to New Year Renewal

We all know the feeling, it’s January 2nd, and as much as you’ve tried to detox between Christmas and New Year’s Eve, you’re definitely not feeling (or looking) your best. Your skin is dry, lips cracked, eyes puffy, waistline bulging… the list goes on and on. Meanwhile, you’re the only thing feeling thin is your wallet from all the money you’ve been spending on indulgent gifts. Without jumping on a crazy diet plan that will cost you or buying products that promise miracle results, here are six tips and tricks for New Year renewal.

Kick off 2013 with a Cleanse: After a less-than-healthy holiday diet, your body is in dire need of some renewal. So this year, before my big New Year’s Eve party, I tested out a wonderful 3-day organic juice cleanse from Love Grace. The Love Grace juice cleanse consists of six pre-packaged juices a day that are not only naturally fresh, but absolutely delicious (the Probiotic Smoothie was my favorite)! Although it was a bit of a struggle to get through the first few days, I was simply bursting with unforeseen energy and vitality that I’ve never felt before. I came out of the cleanse with a flatter tummy and few pounds lighter, ready to take on the New Year with a clean slate!

Soothe Winter Skin: Winter always leaves the feeling dry, and thus you look pale and lackluster. And, with all the attention to the holidays, you’ve had no time for your normal pampering routine. To give you skin a freshly polished, glowing appearance, look no further than your very own kitchen. For a quick DIY face mask, mix fresh lemon juice with just-cracked egg white and apply onto a clean face until dry. Then, scrub off the skin with an easy DIY scrub made with one part honey and one part raw sugar. You can also use the scrub on the rest of your body, as well as a cure for cracked lips.

Go Raw: Between all the baked goods and holiday sweets you’ve been indulging in all season, you’ve not been feeding your body with the proper nutrients. That’s why I suggest taking the month of January to go raw. When your body is infused with thousands of unaltered digestive enzymes from purely raw food, you’ll feel more energized and it’ll definitely help you shed some of those unwanted pounds. And, the raw food diet also offers some anti-aging properties. Since raw food plants are deeply hydrating and offer optimum oxygenation to the cells, leaving your skin glowing and vivacious. Because eating raw is highly cleansing, it’s a sure fire way to make sure you’re getting the ideal January detox and your daily diet is giving you a nutritious jump start into the New Year.

Go for Green Tea: All season long, you’ve been sipping gingerbread lattes and peppermint hot chocolate. Enough is enough! This month, try drinking green tea only. Drinking green tea regularly has been shown to help suppress appetite, decrease stress and increase your metabolism — all of which can help you save or burn a few calories while dieting. Also, several studies have shown that green tea has antiviral properties, giving your immune system the boost it needs during the most contagious time of year. This means more time at the gym and less time in bed with the sniffles!

Count Some Sheep and Get Some Sleep: Between all the holiday parties and late-night department store shopping, your investment in sleep has taken a back seat! Now that things your social calendar has loosened up, it’s important to get enough z’s while you’re trying to lose weight. Be aware that skimping on sleep can affect your body’s ability to control its appetite, and increases appetite-stimulating hormones. You’ll also need extra energy to keep up with your new exercise routine!

Keep Hydrated: Throughout the holiday season and New Year’s, I’m sure you’ve been hydrating with more champagne than H2O. But, drinking water on a regular basis (eight 8oz glasses a day), according to recent studies, can aid with weight loss. Filling up on water before a meal helps encourage portion control, and eating foods that contain a lot of water (like fruits and veggies) will fill you up faster, causing you to eat less. Drinking water will also discourage cravings for sugary drinks like soda and juice. Stay thirsty my friends!